Tomatillo

We planted these once years ago, and they have continued to come up in unexpected places ever since. This year they came up in the potato patch and this branch broke off when they were still very tiny. A little hard kernel forms inside the lantern-like pod and grows to fill the pod which also grows to about the size of a small tomato. They are related to tomatoes in that they are both part of the nightshade family along with peppers, potatoes and eggplants to name a few. The fruits remain green and are the basis of Mexican salsa verde (green sauce).

This would have been a better subject for next week but I never have anything in my pockets except dog poo bags and old kleenex and I just ordered a new wallet/phone case because the zipper on my twenty year old purse finally broke and I just ordered a new wallet because the old one didn't fit in the one I dug out of the closet. 

A catch up on some admin. and a very cursory attempt to knock down some of the dust and dog hair, was followed followed by a lovely relaxing facial with Gail. I think I have even convinced John to give it a try. She does a lot of facials for men who I think sometimes have trouble doing something relaxing and pleasant for themselves. Gail is a good friend and also one of the nicest people on earth, so John didn't take much persuading....the problem will be for Gail to find a spot for him in her booked-up schedule.

We planted three or four Mexican sunflowers around the property but they are clearly a different genus from the fabulous one we had last year. This batch have the same flowers as  last year's model but they grow the top of a very tall very spindly stalk. We need to keep a garden diary listing all the things we plant and how they work out as so many plants either turn out to be a different variety or color than we expected or we've forgotten what they are when we decide to replant. We tried to grow them from seeds we collected from the flowers but they didn't ever take. 

Gardening can be a lot of hard work, especially in our inhospitable and largely absent soil which is why we are reverting to trying to  limit our exertions  either to the mound garden or the fire  garden or in cattle tanks or raised beds in the veggie garden. The hill is reverting mainly to agave, palms, aloes , cactus and euphorbia which pretty much take care of themselves.